It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 62

                                       Chapter 62 : It begins . . .

Albus and Severus were standing in the Clock Tower courtyard, watching  the Weasley twins and Seamus double check the bridge and outlying fireworks.

"Headmaster?!"

"Yes?" both Wizards said, as they turned to see Hermione approaching. She smiled and shook her head.

"Headmaster Dumbledore  . . .  Ron has come up with a brilliant idea . . . do you know when your brother is coming through to the castle?"

"Aberforth isn't coming until he makes sure there were no stragglers needing to use the . . . "

Suddenly, Dumbledore was hit on his right forearm with a 'Stinging Hex',  which caused him to jerk his arm, his wand flying away from him.  Before either he or Severus could react they heard, " 'Accio wand'!"

Twirling around, they saw Harry catch Dumbledore's wand with his left hand, even as he lowered his own wand.  He then walked toward them.

"Potter!  Have you gone insane . . ." Snape growled at him, starting to lift his own wand to point it at Harry, but Albus put his hand on Severus' arm, stopping him.

"No, we've just been thinking . . . " Harry started.

"We?" Severus asked.

"Ron, Draco and I, sir,"  Harry informed him.  "And we decided the duel was a waste of time and effort."

"Why would that be, exactly, Harry," inquired Albus.

"You wouldn't be giving me the wand, but in your mind, you'd know you were going to have to be beaten, so that might not be sufficient to transfer the ownership, as it was to be the inevitable outcome . . . same as handing it to me, really, and that's not what we need, so . . . "

"Element of surprise, I had it 'forcibly' taken from me, you are now the master of the Elder wand, and that," Dumbledore pointed to his wand in Harry's hand. "Will be useless to Voldemort . . . excellent thinking, Harry."

"Draco and Ron, actually . . . between the chess player and the Slytherin, they came up with the flaws in our plan . . . plus saved us the exertion of a duel," added Harry.

"Well, in that case, I suggest you make a quick trip down to the Chamber of Secrets and leave that wand for Tom to find,"  Albus instructed.

"Right . . . Ron & Draco are going with me, to get another fang from the Basilisk, just in case, and to take a look at the place,"  Harry explained, as he started back into the building.  "We won't be long!"

Dumbledore waved him off, while Severus frowned.

Turning to Hermione, Albus continued their interrupted conversation.  "Now, about Aberforth, Hermione?"

"Polyjuice Potion; you get to be your brother's doppelganger and none of the invaders will suspect a thing!"  Hermione stood there grinning, watching the expressions flashing across both of the Headmasters' faces.

"Oh, that is so wicked . . . but as Ron would say 'Bloody Brilliant!' " laughed Albus.  "Have you run this past my brother?"

"Yes, and he said as long as there wasn't two of YOU running amok, he'd be fine with seeing himself, here and there, AND if it wasn't permanent!"  Hermione answered.

"Fine.  Severus, do you have any Polyjuice Potion handy?"  Dumbledore said, with that twinkle in his eye.

"Yes, Merlin help us!  I'll go fetch it!  Sufficient for the night, I imagine?"